GNOME

GNOME is an easy to use Graphical User Interface for UNIX-like operating systems. It is the official desktop of the GNU Project.

Table of contents

1 Origin 2 Organisation 3 GNOME platforms 4 Versions 5 Architecture 6 Major native applications 7 See also 8 External links

Origin

The GNOME (GNU Network Object Model Environment) project was started in August 1997 by Miguel de Icaza as an attempt to provide a Free desktop for the GNU/Linux operating system. At the time, the only serious alternative for the non-technical user was KDE. However, there were a number of problems associated with it: it was was based on Trolltech's Qt toolkit, which had a number of licensing issues, and its language of implementation was C++ (the licensing issues with Qt have since been substantially resolved).

The GNOME framework is written in C, rather than C++, to avoid the problems associated with using different C++ compilers, and to ease the task of using other languages to write GNOME applications. Instead of Qt, the GTK toolkit was chosen as the basis for future GNOME development. This had a number of advantages: it was written in C, its license was the Lesser General Public License, and it was already used by The Gimp, a major Free software project.

Organisation

GNOME project development, like most Free software projects, is loosely organised -- preferring to rely on the dedication of those working on it. Most discussion regarding GNOME occurs on a variety of open mailing lists (see GNOME website). The GNOME foundation was set up in August 2000 to deal with administration tasks, press interest and companies interested in GNOME development or distribution.

GNOME platforms

Although originally a GNU/Linux desktop, GNOME now runs on most Unix-like systems (*BSD variants, AIX, IRIX, HP-UX), and in particular it has been adopted by Sun Microsystems as the standard desktop for its Solaris platform, replacing the ageing CDE.

Versions

• GNOME development announced - August 1997
• GNOME 1.0 - March 1999
• "October GNOME" 1.0.55 - October 1999
• "Bongo" GNOME - May 2000
• GNOME 1.4 - ??
• GNOME 2.0 (major upgrade based on GTK 2.0) - June 2002
• GNOME 2.2 - February 2003
• GNOME 2.4 - September 2003

• GTK+ - Widget toolkit.
• Pango - Layout and rendering of internationalized text.
• ATK - Accessibility toolkit.
• Orbit - a CORBA ORB for software components.
• Bonobo - a compound document technology.
• GNOME VFS - a virtual File system.
• GConf - for storing application settings
• Gstreamer - The multimedia framework for Gnome applications.

• Abiword - Word processor.
• Anjuta - Software Integrated Development Environment (IDE).
• Dia - Structured drawing.
• Gabber - Instant messaging (and Gaim, although not strictly a GNOME project).
• Galeon - Web browser for GNOME (based on Mozilla).
• Gedit - Text editor.
• The Gimp - Advanced image editor.
• Gnucash - personal/small business accounting.
• Gnumeric - Spreadsheet.
• Nautilus - File manager.
• Pan - Usenet newsreader.
• Sodipodi - vector drawing.
• Ximian Evolution - Contacts/Time management and e-mail.

• The Linux Documentation Project
• Debian
• Gnoppix, LiveCD with Gnome for Debian (Gnobian).
• Red Hat
• Ximian

• GNOME's official homepage
• The GNOME Foundation site
• http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gdp/ Gnome Documentation Project
• A GNOME news site and Wiki about Gnome.
• The Story of the GNOME project written by Miguel de Icaza
• All GNU:Gnome for Debian.
• Gnome2-Live a bootable LiveCD from Hispalinux.